Here You Come Again

I found this song tonight, kinda by mistake, but yep, it sure does fit what's going on in my life today:

Here you come again
Just when I've begun to get myself together
You waltz right in the door
Just like you've done before
And wrap my heart 'round your little finger

Here you come again
Just when I'm about to make it work without you
You look into my eyes
And lie those pretty lies
And pretty soon I'm wonderin' how I came to doubt you

All you got to do is smile that smile
And there go all my defenses
Just leave it up to you and in a little while
You're messin' up my mind and fillin' up my senses

Here you come again
Lookin' better than a body has a right to
And shakin' me up so that all I really know
Is here you come again
And here I go

All you have to do is smile that smile
And there go all my defenses
Just leave it up to you and in a little while
You're messin' up my mind and fillin' up my senses

Here you come again
Lookin' better than a body has a right to
And shakin' me up so
That all I really know
Is here you come again
And here I go
Here I go
And here I go
And here I go
Here you come again
Here I go
Here I go
And here I go
Here I go

Yep. And I'm gonna let myself go. I'm gonna surrender to it. Because I know, I can feel, how good it is for me...

Jolene

It's been a while since I've pulled out a song from the treasure trove of my childhood idol Olivia Newton-John. Luckily, today I once again have reason to reach into that vault. I saw a video on Facebook of my friend's daughter singing this classic song (Dolly Parton's original version):

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can

Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green

Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene

He talks about you in his sleep
There's nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene

And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don't know what he means to me, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him just because you can

You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He's the only one for me, Jolene

I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I'm begging of you please don't take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don't take him even though you can

Jolene, Jolene

It was beautiful to see and hear her singing it. Almost as beautiful as it is to see my beloved Aussie belting out the same song.

And while ONJ gets my vote every time, I do love this version of Dolly performing with Miley Cyrus.

Dang Jolene, you inspired a lot of awesome voices to warn you against stealing her man!

I Will Always Love You

These lovers first said hello and last said goodbye on a NE couch

This morning as I lay on the couch with my lover one last time, this song came to me in all its cheesy glory:

If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I'll go but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way

And I... will always love you, ooh
Will always love you
You
My darling, you...
Mmm-mm

Bittersweet memories
That is all I'm taking with me
So goodbye
Please don't cry
We both know I'm not what you, you need

Oh I don't know, Whitney. I'd like him to cry. Really, really cry about losing me, the way I've really, really cried for the last year, and especially this last week. At least once.

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this I wish you love

I do want these things for him. I really do. But I don't want to lose him.

And I... will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you

I will always love you
I, I will always love you.

You.
Darling, I love you.
I'll always...
I'll always love you.

Yes I will. And I cried my little eyes out as I heard it playing inside my head. And when I managed to pick myself up off the couch and pry myself away from him, Whitney was quickly followed by the Stones reminding me I can't always get what I want.

I'll say...

2019 postscript: Just weeks before we are slated to say goodbye again, I came across this beautiful cover featuring Dolly Parton and Brandi Carlile.

And I will, still, always love him... only this time, I'm willing to lose him to create space for more harmony in my own life.